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Tariff Hike Rollback
PSEB to refund Rs 290 crore to consumers
Chandigarh, April 11
In a populist move, the Punjab government has directed the Punjab State Electricity Board to refund the amount charged from consumers as per the revised tariff with effect from September 2007, even as the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission is yet to allow rollback of the tariff hike.

Respite coming for power consumers

Lehra Mohabbat unit to add 250 MW Ludhiana, April 11 The state is all set to start its mega power generation project of 500 MW at Lehra Mohabbat. The first unit of 250 MW will be commissioned on April 14, 2008, while the second unit is expected to be commissioned in June-July.

Another 250 MW from hydro projects Chandigarh, April 11 The state came a step closer to get 250 MW from mini-hydro projects set up by private developers in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as it signed an MoU with TOSS Mini Hydel Power Project today.

Ordinance to prevent early sowing of paddy
Jalandhar, April 11
With the futility of awareness campaigns that urge farmers not to plant paddy nurseries before June to check the decline in groundwater, the government has decided to crack the whip.

State’s Share in UT Admn Setup
Dhindsa urges Badal to take up issue
Chandigarh, April 11
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) secretary-general and former union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa has brought to the notice of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal the way the union territory of the Chandigarh Administration has tinkered with the arrangement made for the administration of Chandigarh at the time of re-organisation of Punjab on November 1, 1966.

Cops rape minor in park
Ludhiana, April 11
Two policemen allegedly raped a minor girl in the Rakh Bagh while two others caught hold of her friend when both of them were sitting near the swimming pool of the park. The 15-year-old victim of Shahi Mohalla, who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh, had come to the Rakh Bagh along with her friend Sunny Verma around 8:30 pm.

POLITICS

Cong has no trust in Punjabis: Mann
Chandigarh, April 11
The Congress prefers expatriates to genuine Punjabis. It is why all representatives of the state in the union Council of Ministers, including Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, are expatriates, says SAD (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann.

COMMUNITY

Probe ordered into farmer’s suicide
Sangrur, April 11
In a case of suicide allegedly committed by farmer Pargat Singh (22) of Janal village, 4 km from Dirba, by consuming some poisonous substance on April 2, Sangrur SSP Arun Pal Singh today entrusted the investigations to DSP (Special Branch) Hardevinder Singh.

Sikh devotees, leaving for Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Pakistan for Baisakhi, wave through the Samjhauta Express windows at the Attari railway station on Friday. Photo by Vishal Kumar

Keep Delhi off Olympic torch route: US Sikhs
Amritsar, April 11
Thirtyfour US-based Sikh gurdwaras and organisations have appealed to China to keep the journey of the Olympic torch away from New Delhi “as the city’s streets were stained with the blood of Sikhs’ massacre in 1984”.

Pak jatha to perform at PM’s house
Amritsar, April 11
A 10-member jatha from Pakistan, led by Bhai Lal, a descendant of Bhai Mardana (companion of Guru Nanak Dev), today crossed over to India from Attari border. They are likely to perform kirtan at the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Gharinda police station gheraoed
Attari, April 11
Several hundred people today gheraoed the Gharinda police station near Attari on the Amritsar-Attari G.T. Road to protest against the police, who had allegedly registered false cases against Dalit families of villages in the area.

• Lahore judge calls on CM

COURTS

Moga Sex Scandal
Judicial remand of cops extended
Patiala, April 11
The CBI Special Judge H.S Madaan today extended the judicial remand of two senior police officials, allegedly involved in the Moga sex scandal case, till April 25. The senior police officials are AIG Davinder Singh Garcha and SP Paramdeep Singh Sandhu and Sukhdev Singh. TNS

Warrants against Bibi’s driver
Patiala, April 11
District and Sessions Judge Inderjit Singh Walia today issued non-bailable warrants against Harvinder Singh, driver of Bibi Jagir Kaur, in the case pertaining to the alleged murder  of her daughter Harpreet Kaur. The next date of hearing has been fixed as April 30. TNS

EDUCATION

10+2 classes in pvt technical institutes
Government to formulate policy
Mohali, April 11
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that the state government would formulate a policy to allow private engineering and technical colleges in the state to run 10+2 classes in their institutions to impart quality education in the science stream to the students to compete globally.

Students of Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran, perform on their ‘placement day’ celebrations in Mohali on Friday. Tribune photo by Vicky Gharu

CRIME

Undertrial’s escape bid foiled
Nabha, April 11
Vigilant guards of the maximum security jail here foiled the attempt of an undertrial to escape from the local Civil Hospital, where he was brought for treatment yesterday.

Two arrested for looting French couple
Amritsar, April 11
The district police has arrested two persons, including a eunuch, for looting a French tourist couple at the Mall Road area on Wednesday.